I love how the Filppula crowd jumps in and tries to make Kesler's contract an example of why I'm wrong on Filppula. So, Kesler's projection of 27 pts=$1.75 M, Filppula's 36 points earned him $3M. I bet Kesler wishes he put up just a few more points, by that logic. So what if he wasn't a point-per-game AHLer. Kesler is still the better player.

I love how stupid you're to pick only Kesler and compare him with Filppula.

I have proven statistics of all players with about the same ppg - not just one underpaid guy - which proves that Filppula is nowhere near overpaid.

I love how the Filppula crowd jumps in and tries to make Kesler's contract an example of why I'm wrong on Filppula. So, Kesler's projection of 27 pts=$1.75 M, Filppula's 36 points earned him $3M. I bet Kesler wishes he put up just a few more points, by that logic. So what if he wasn't a point-per-game AHLer. Kesler is still the better player.

I love how you try to use Kesler's contract as an example of why you're RIGHT on Filppula.

The point is, though Kesler may be the better play NOW, Filpulla was looking a lot better then Kesler was prior to last year and that is why he got the better contract.

And frankly I think that Filppula would be matching Kesler's production (though perhaps fewer goals) given his spot in Vancouver's lineup.

Meanwhile, Chicago gets to 3 Cup Finals and we struggle to make the playoffs. I see the motivation.

I'm in the same boat as the OP. While I like Filppula, and I like the idea of him being a great value, I guess I'm not skilled enough at analyzing hockey players to actually see his value. All I know is that I always hear Ray Ferraro on Vancouver Team 1040 raving about the Wings "I mean c'mon, they got Valterri Filppula on the 3rd line for cryin out loud".

Meanwhile, Chicago gets to 3 Cup Finals and we struggle to make the playoffs. I see the motivation.

I'm in the same boat as the OP. While I like Filppula, and I like the idea of him being a great value, I guess I'm not skilled enough at analyzing hockey players to actually see his value. All I know is that I always hear Ray Ferraro on Vancouver Team 1040 raving about the Wings "I mean c'mon, they got Valterri Filppula on the 3rd line for cryin out loud".

Meanwhile, Chicago gets to 3 Cup Finals and we struggle to make the playoffs. I see the motivation.

You'll get to see as soon as this upcoming offseason the hole Chicago dug themselves into by handing out ill advised contracts. Id be shocked if they make it to 3 cup finals, given the financial crisis they are in. The 2010-11 Chicago Blackhawks team will most likely be in worse shape than the 2009-10 Red Wings.

Im just glad we have a smart GM that didnt follow a similar path of incompetence.

Teemu Selanne knows a thing or two about what it takes to be a successful NHL player and he thinks fellow Finn Valtteri Filppula, whom he has known since the younger forward was a teenager, is a superstar in the making.

The term "superstar" (and "elite", especially listening to the playoff coverage on TV) arguably gets thrown around way too often these days, but the point is that one of the best snipers this game has ever known believes that Filppula has another gear or two to which he'll be shifting sooner rather than later.

...

"I'm not surprised at all -- I skate with him in the summer, and I know him very well," Selanne said. "He's been working so hard over the years. I like to see him with more ice time, more priority situations out there, more power play. ... He has no real weaknesses, that's what makes him very special, and I'm just waiting for his really breakthrough year and it's coming. He's anybody's dream player because he's so easy -- he does exactly what you ask him to do. Everybody needs that kind of player."

"I always joke that you are exactly as good as your coach wants you to be, and I like to see him play more on the top two lines," Selanne said. "But he is patient guy, and he is waiting his turn. I know when he will get the chance, he will be ready."

This season Flip hasnt had much time on the top 2 lines, and with Franzen out for as long as he has, Flip hasnt had a goal scoring winger on his side. I think playing with Zetterberg is a nice opportunity for Filppula to show something. I never really understood why Flip has been on the third line.

a key difference is that their worst contracts are moveable (huet can be moved, sopel is probably gone, and campbell only has a partial NMTC i believe?) and the wings worst contracts were not (rafalski/stuart/cleary/draper). all the no trade clauses really hurt the wings flexibility.

even if they are unable to move one or both of huet/campbell, their key contracts (toews/kane/campbell) are younger than the wings (z/dats/lid) and they'll possibly have better seasons next year, not worse.

make no mistake - the hawks will be in position to make a run at the cup for the forseeable future.

a key difference is that their worst contracts are moveable (huet can be moved, sopel is probably gone, and campbell only has a partial NMTC i believe?) and the wings worst contracts were not (rafalski/stuart/cleary/draper). all the no trade clauses really hurt the wings flexibility.

even if they are unable to move one or both of huet/campbell, their key contracts (toews/kane/campbell) are younger than the wings (z/dats/lid) and they'll possibly have better seasons next year, not worse.

make no mistake - the hawks will be in position to make a run at the cup for the forseeable future.

Id really love to know what teams you have in mind that are lining up to take on the Huet/Campbell's contracts.

Also, when they arent able to move those contracts, they are still going to have to move quality depth just to be able to complete their roster and get under the cap.

I'd be very surprised if Chicago could get out of the Huet or Campbell contract; too much money, too many years for players so aggressively mediocre.

On the other hand, I'd be surprised if Chicago's management went out of their way to give Hossa a big contract last summer, completely aware of the cap crunch, and didn't have some sort of plan to maneuver out of trouble.

"We've been in the same spot all year long. We won 50 games for the fourth year in a row. People think we're just hum-drum and boring. No, you know what we are, we're good. You can't do what we do every single day and not be good." - Mike Babcock

Good point. Desperate GM + team with lots of cap room = you never know. Those kind of moves never make much rational sense but they do happen from time to time. Risky strategy to try and bank on, though. I guess they can always waive them if they really have to.

"We've been in the same spot all year long. We won 50 games for the fourth year in a row. People think we're just hum-drum and boring. No, you know what we are, we're good. You can't do what we do every single day and not be good." - Mike Babcock

even if this is the case, they'd be quite like the 09-10 wings...except better.

fell free to bump this topic up a year from now if chicago is struggling to make the playoffs.

I think they will make the playoffs as they will still have Kane, Toews, Hossa, Keith, and a few others. But they will be a complete non factor in the playoffs. They will have below average goaltending, and depth that they wont be able to improve. With that said, the 09 Wings are more of a threat to win than will be the '10 Hawks will be. And, Im in to bump this thread after next season.

And about titanium's quote there, I'm pretty sure Wings players have said the same things about Flip, in that they love to play with him on the ice.

That's a great read, actually. I really hope that, even though he has already shown he belongs on the top 2 lines, he just jams it down our throat (thanks, Fox News) that he should be there.

To me, the most promsing thing about Flip's future development is the one Bowman interview where he absoulutly climaxed about the guy. He clearly has the potential... it's just he seems, to me at least, to be holding back a little, as if waiting for it to happen on its own.

To me, the most promsing thing about Flip's future development is the one Bowman interview where he absoulutly climaxed about the guy. He clearly has the potential... it's just he seems, to me at least, to be holding back a little, as if waiting for it to happen on its own.

Idk though, hopefully he can peak.

Filppula seems to have trouble just putting it all together.

He can skate and stickhandle at a fast speed, and he has a decent shot and pass - he just can't do it all at once.His hands literally turn into brick mittens when he is skating with speed.

At the very least, if he can slow his game down a little, controlling and protecting the puck better (like Datsyuk has been able to do), I think he really could start to blossom.

Red Kelly #4 and Larry Aurie #6 belong in the rafters!!!

"For my game, I don't need to score the goal," Konstantinov once explained. "I need someone to start thinking about me and forgetting about scoring goals."